Boring-machine.



No. 674,699. Patented May 2|, l90l. S. L. HARWOOD.

BORING MACHINE.

(Application filed June 27, 1900.)

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(No Model.)

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Nu. 674,699. Patented May 2|, [90L 8. L. HARWOOD.

BORING MACHINE.

(Application filed June 27, 1900.)

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2,

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A TTORNEYS feed devices.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SUMPTER LEA HARWOOD, OF FAUNSDALE, ALABAMA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TO JOHN H. MINGE, OF SAME PLACE.

BORING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 674,699, dated May 21, 1901.

Application filed June 2'7, 1900- To (LZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, SUMPTER LEA HAR- WOOD, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Fannsdale, in the county of Marengo and State of Alabama, have invented a new and Improved Boring-Machine, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description. Y

The invention relates to well-boring machines in which water is forced to the revolving drilling-tool to assist in loosening the ground and to cause the loose material to flow up in the drill-hole in the space between the wall of the drill and the drill-hole.

The object of the invention is to provide a new and improved well-boring machine which is simple and durable in construction and arranged to allow of regulating the rate of cutting according to the nature of the soil without subjecting the drill to the weight of the pipe-line and at the same time preventing the pipe-line and drilling-tool from dropping into and being lost in a bed of quicksand, if such is encountered.

The invention consists of novel features and parts and combinations of the same, as will be fully described hereinafter and then pointed out in the claims.

A practical embodiment of the invention is represented in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improvement with parts in section. Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view of the same on the line 2 2 in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a plan view of one of the Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional plan view of the improvement on the line 4 4 in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional side elevation of the water-inlet, and Fig. 6 is a side elevation of a modified form of the feed cross-head with parts in section.

The improved well-boring machine is provided with a hollow drill-rod A, connected at its upper end with a Water-supply B and supporting at its lower end a drilling-tool O for cutting the material and assisted by the water passing through the drill-rod A and issuing in close proximity to the drill-tool 0, preferably at opposite sides thereof. The

Serial No. 21.786. (No model.)

drill-rod A extends loosely through a hollow shaft D, mounted to turn at its upper end in a bearing E, carried by an overhead frame structure F, and on the lower end of said hollow shaft D is secured a bevel gear-wheel G, the lower end of the hub of which is mounted on a ball-bearing step E, carried by the main frame F, located over the drill-hole and on adjacent ground, as is plainly indi- 6o cated in the drawings. The bevel gear-wheel G is in mesh with a pinion G, mounted loosely on a shaft H, carrying a pulley H, connected by belt with other machinery for imparting a rotary motion to the said shaft. A clutch I is mounted to turn with and to slide on the shaft H and is adapted to engage a corresponding clutch member G on the hub of the pinion G. The clutch I is engaged by a lever I under control of the operator to throw the clutch in or out of mesh with the member G so as to rotate the pinion G from the shaft H whenever desired. When the pinion G is rotated, a rotary motion is given to the bevel gear-wheel G, and consequently to the shaft D, and the rotary motion of the latter is transmitted to the drill-rod A -by means of a cross-head J, secured on said drillrod A by set-screws J. The cross-head J is provided with side arms J which extend through vertically-disposed slots D in the shaft D, so that when the shaft D is rotated the arms J and with them the cross-head J, are turned around to rotate the rod A, and at the same time the cross-head J is free to slide down and up in the shaft D for lowering the drill-rod A and for feeding the drilling-tool O downward into the material in the bottom of the well-hole.

In order to feed the cross-head J, and with it the rod A, downward, the arms J 2 are provided with nuts J in which screw feed-screws K K, arranged parallel to and outside of the shaft D, their upper and lower ends being journaled in suitable bearings L L, carried by the shaft D. On the upper end of the feed-screws K K are secured ratchet-wheels N, engaged by pawls N, pivoted on springpressed levers N fulcrumed loosely on the feed-screws and adapted to engage a fixed roo arm 0 on the overhead framework F, so that when the cross-head J is turned around by the rotation of the shaft D then the said le- Vers N are successively moved in contact with said fixed arm 0 to receive a swinging motion for imparting an intermittent rotary motion to the ratchet wheels, and consequently to the feed-screws K K, so as to move the cross-head J downward. The levers N on leaving the fixed arm 0 return to a normal position by the action of their springs.

In order to turn the two feed-screws K K in unison when one receives a rotary motion by the ratchet-wheel and pawl mechanism above described, the following device is provided: On the lower ends of the feed-screws K K are secured pinions P P, respectively in mesh with a gear-wheel P mounted to rotate loosely on the shaft D, so that when one feed-screw K or K is turned the said gearwheels P P P impart a rotary motion to the feed-screws, so that both turn in unison and properly feed the cross-head J in a downward direction.

In order to move the cross-head J back into an uppermost position for a new or second downward feeding of the drill-rod A, it is necessary first to move the clutch I out of mesh with the clutch member G and then the feed-screws K K are turned in an opposite direction by hand, and for this purpose one of the feed-screws is provided with a bevel gear-wheel Q, in mesh with a bevel gearwheel Q mounted to turn on astud project-' ing from the bearing L, and the hub Q of the bevel gear-wheel Q is adapted to be engaged by a crank-arm Q under control of the operator. WVhen the operator turns the crankarm, a rotary motion is given by the gearwheels Q Q to the feed-screw K, and the other feed-screw K is simultaneously rotated owing to the gear-wheels P P P and feeding-screws K K being turned in an opposite direction to cause a return or upward movement of the cross-head J at the time the setscrews J are loosened, so that the cross-head slides back on the drill-rod A without moving the same upward. When the uppermost position is reached, the set-screws J are again screwed up to again fasten the cross-head J to the drill-rod A, after which the operator throws the clutch I again in mesh with the clutch member G so that the shaft D is again rotated for turning the tool 0 and for automatically feeding the same down ward by the mechanism above described.

The water-inlet B, previously mentioned, consists, essentially, of a stuffing-box B, in which is mounted to turn a short pipe B formed at its inner end with a collar B and at its outer upper end with an eye B for connection with the hoisting mechanism for raising the drill-rod A whenever desired. From the upper outer end of the pipe B also extends a branch pipe B connected by a hose B with water under pressure. It is evident that when the rodA is rotated the pipe B will remain stationary, as it is mounted to turn in the stuffing-box B, and consequently entanglement of the hose B is not liable to take place.

The hoisting mechanism referred to is also actuated from the shaft H, and for this purpose the said shaft is provided With a second clutch 1 similar to the clutch I and under control of the operator by a lever 1 (See Fig. 2.) The clutch l is adapted to be thrown in mesh with a clutch member H on abevelpinion H mounted to rotate loosely on the shaft H, and this bevel-pinion H is in mesh with a gear-wheel H secured on the shaft H carrying the hoisting-drum H, on which winds a hoisting-rope adapted to be connected with the eye 13", previously referred to. The hoisting-drum H is also provided with a suitable brake mechanism H under control of the operator.

.In the modified form (shown in Fig. 6) the arms J of the cross-head J are provided with bearings J for nuts J to slidein vertically, the nuts being engaged by the feed-screws K Kfor feeding the cross-head J and the rod A downward, as previously described. Each nut J is provided at its lower end with a collar S, adapted to rest on the corresponding bearing J, and said nuts are held from turning in the bearings by screws J extending through vertical slots in the said hearings, to allow the nuts to move downward in the bearings should the feed be too rapid for the action of the drillingtool 0, the arrangement enabling the operator to adjust the feed and prevent too much weight from coming upon the drill. It is understood that the arrangement described does not force the drilling-tool O downward, but rather assures a constant pressure on the drilling-tool. Should the automatic feed be too rapid, the operator will at once notice this by the nuts J leaving their seats, and hence can readily adjust the feed to conform to the rate of out. When a hard rock is encountered, the nuts may be run to the bottom of the slot and the ratchets thrown out of gear, and by winding the rope around the drum and slacking alternately the drill-rod may be given a rapid reciprocating motion at the same time that the rotary motion is being imparted. This may be done without undue friction, as with other machines of the rotary type.

. Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A boring-machine, comprisinga revoluble hollow shaft, a hollow drill-rod extending through said shaft and connected at its upper end with a water-supply, and provided at its lower end with a drilling-tool, a cross-head secured on the said drill-rod and extending through a slot in the said shaft, so that the rotation of the latter rotates the drill-rod by said cross-head,and a feed-screw for said crosshead and carried bodily around with the same and receiving a turning motion during such bodily movement, substantially as shown and described.

IIO

2. A boring-machine, having a feed for a revolving hollow drill-rod, and comprising a feed-screw, a cross-head secured on the drillrod and in which screws the said feed-screw to feed the cross-head and drill-rod, means for turning the cross-head, and means for intermittently turning the screw-rod during each revolution of the cross head carrying the screw rod bodily around, substantially as shown and described.

3. A boring-machine,havinga feed for a revolving hollow drill-rod, and comprising a feed-screw, a cross-head secured on the drillrod and in which screws the said feed-screw to feed the cross-head and drill-rod, means for turning the cross-head, means for intermittently turning the screw-rod during each revolution of the cross-head carrying the screwrod bodily around, a ratchet-wheel on the said screw rod, a pawl engaging said ratchetwheel, a lever carrying the pawl, and a fixed part adapted to be engaged by the said lever, to impart a swinging motion to the latter and turn the ratchet-wheel and feed-screw, substantially as shown and described.

4. A boring-machine, comprising a revoluble hollow shaft, a drill-rod extending through the shaft, a cross-head secured on said drillrod and revolving with said shaft and mounted to slide thereon, feed-screws screwing in nuts on the cross-head and arranged outside of said shaft, bearings for the screw-rods to turnin and carried by said shaft, means for intermittently turning the screw-rods, and a gearing for connecting the screw-rods'with each other and simultaneously turning the same when one receives a turning motion, substantially as shown and described.

5. A boring-machine, having a revoluble drill-rod, means for rotating the same, and feeding mechanism therefor, comprising a cross-head secured to the drill-rod, a feedscrew engaged with a threaded part of the cross-head and carried to move bodily around the axis of the drill-rod, a ratchet-wheel fastened to the feed-screw, a pawl engaging the ratchet-wheel, a lever fulcrumed on the feedscrew and carrying the pawl to actuate the ratchet-wheel, and a fixed member adapted to be engaged by the lever as it moves with the feed-screw, whereby to turn the feedscrew independently of its movement around the drill-rod.

6. In a boring-machine, the combination of a revoluble drill-rod, a cross-head attached to the drill-rod, a longitudinally-slotted sleeve or hollow shaft inclosing the drill-rod and having the cross-head projected through the slots therein, means for rotating the hollow shaft to drive the drill-rod through the medium of the cross-head, a feedscrew supported on the hollow shaft and moving with the hollow shaft bodily around the axis thereof, a nut on the cross-head, the said nut Working with the feed-screw, and means for rotating the feed-screw independently of its movement with the hollow shaft.

7. In a drilling-machine, the combination of a revoluble drill-rod, a hollow shaft or sleeve inclosing the drill-rod and mounted to turn, the hollow shaft being formed with a longitudinally-extending slot, a cross-head fastened to the drill-rod and extending through the slot in the hollow shaft, whereby to drive the cross-head from the hollow shaft, a feed device engaging the cross-head to feed the drillrod, such feed device being carried by the hollow shaft and turning bodily with the same around its axis,- and means for imparting to the feed device movement independently of the movement of the hollow shaft, whereby to drive the feed device to feed the drill-rod.

8. A boring-machine having a revoluble drill-rod and means for rotating the same, and a feed mechanism for the drill-rod comprising a cross-head fastened on the drill-rod, a feed-screw mounted to turn with the drill-rod bodily around the same, the feed-screw being independently revoluble and being engaged with a threaded part on the cross-head to feed the drill-rod, and means for imparting an independent rotary movement to the feeds screw.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

SUMPTER LEA HARWOOD.

Witnesses:

I. P. PRUITT, E. W. RUSSELL. 

